A Dark and Stormy Night
by Ficalicious
Summary: When Sam is gravely injured there is one person he can turn to. But can he hide his love when the rest of him is stripped bare? Nice bit of Sookie/Sam fluff for a cold and stormy night.


**A Dark and Stormy Night**

**This one shot is just a piece of fluff promoting Sookie/Sam happiness. **

**Sam has had an accident and goes to the one person who he can trust. Will his admission of trust spark something more? Sookie/Sam. I don't own them. They would be far happier if I did. Read and Review. **

It was a ferocious night. Wind rattled the windows. It screeched through the trees; creating a high pitched wailing sound. Rain pelted the roof; echoing off the old tin. Thunder rumbled nearby ominously. All in all it was pretty dismal.

Which was why Sookie was tucked up in bed with a good book when she heard an odd noise. She'd wrapped herself in blankets and dressed in her warmest pjs. It was not the kind of night for anything to be out and about, which explained her surprise at hearing a familiar dog's bark.

She threw herself out of bed and hurried to the front door. The plaintive barks were coming from the porch. Flicking on the porch light, Sookie swung open the door. A very wet and miserable collie sat on her front mat shivering.

"Sam?" She asked. The dog's tail gave a weak wag, spraying water everywhere. "You're drenched!" She exclaimed. She reached down to pat the dog. He whimpered and pulled away. In the dim light Sookie could see that his head and snout were smeared with blood.

"Get yourself in here," Sookie ordered, stepping back and allowing the dog to limp inside. "You shift back, Sam. I'll get you some blankets."

She moved quickly to the hall closet and grabbed some blankets. She heard the sound she knew was Sam shifting back. There was a cry of pain. Hurrying back, Sookie found Sam standing naked in her hallway. He was dripping wet and appeared to be in a lot of pain.

There was a cut on his head that was steadily oozing blood. His body was covered in several large bruises. Sookie kept her eyes in decent places. She realised that Sam was shivering.

"Here, get yourself rugged up." She gently put a blanket around Sam's shoulders. He gratefully wrapped it around himself. He looked exhausted. Sookie put a careful arm around him and helped him to the sofa.

"Do you want a hot drink? Something to eat?" Sookie couldn't hide the concern in her voice.

"Water would be great." Sam's voice was hoarse. "And some aspirin."

Sookie moved to the kitchen, her whole body on alert. She was very concerned about the cut on Sam's head. And about the fact that he was so beat up at all. She returned with water, pain killers and the first aid kit.

Sam was sitting where she'd left him, the blanket pooling on his shoulders, his head in his hands.

"Sit back Sam. I want to check that cut." She gently eased him back, her hands soft. His skin was cold to touch and Sam seemed to lean into her warmth. He was shaking, but Sookie wasn't sure it was from the cold.

The head wound looked worse than it was. Pulling out some gauze, Sookie cleaned it and put a bandage over it. Sam barely registered the pain. His other wounds appeared superficial, although painful.

"Is there anywhere else?" She asked gently, indicating to the wounds she had treated. Sam nodded slowly, painfully.

"My back." His voice was still hoarse. Sookie wondered again what could have happened to him. She hoped that Sam was planning on telling her.

As gently as she could, Sookie eased Sam forward until she could get behind him. Careful not to put any pressure on his wounds, Sookie sat with one leg either side of Sam's hips, cradling him. She softly pulled the blanket down from his shoulders. A harsh hiss tore from Sam just as Sookie gasped, seeing the extent of the damage.

Sam's back was black. Sookie could clearly see that he had broken ribs. There were lacerations and a sheen of blood coating his skin. His firm muscles were twitching and she reached up to sooth them.

"Oh Sam," she whispered. Sam's head hung forward; her fingers felt blissful against his skin. He enjoyed her touch and how it soothed him.

Sookie used a cloth to wipe to blood from his back, allowing her better access to his wounds. When she saw the full extent of the damage she felt a tear trickle down her cheek.

"What happened, Sam?" She asked softly, her fingers ever so gently tracing the muscles of his back.

"A car." Sam managed, his breath hitching. He reached a hand up to hold his aching ribs.

"You were hit by a car?" Sookie couldn't help the anger in her voice.

"I was running. I didn't see them. They didn't stop." Sam sounded in shock. Sookie couldn't blame him. In all the years Sam had been shifting he'd never mentioned getting hit by a car before. Sookie had always stopped for animals on the roads. She couldn't believe that someone could run over a beautiful dog like Sam.

"You need to go to a hospital, Sam." Sookie spoke, moving to stand.

"No!" Sam grabbed her thigh, holding her in place. The rapid action made his breath catch. "No hospitals. _Please, _Sookie. I'll be fine in a bit." He released his grip on her leg, and Sookie could feel him slouch against her. She found herself nodding against her better judgement.

"Well you need to rest, at the very least." She reached around, pushing his damp hair from his face. Sam melted into her touch. He nodded, ever so slightly.

"I'm right here. Thanks Sookie." She could hear his gratitude.

"No you don't, Sam Merlotte." Sam jerked in surprise. Was she saying he couldn't stay on her couch? He wasn't sure he would make it home. "You are _not _sleeping on this old couch. You get into my bed. You need to be warm." She moved out from behind him. Sam's flesh felt cold where she had been.

"Sookie," Sam started. He wanted desperately to be in a bed, in _her _bed, and to be warm. But he didn't want to put her out.

"Don't argue with me, Sam." She gave him a stern look. Having neither the energy, or the will to argue with her, Sam nodded. Sookie took his hand and cautiously put an arm around him. Helping him to stand she eased him down the hallway towards her room.

Sam tried very hard to keep the tears of pain from his eyes. He didn't want Sookie to think he was crying. But every step was torture, the jolting on his ribs, the catching of his breath, the movement of his arms - it was agony! Even Sookie's arm around him, as much as he was enjoying the contact, was painful. Sam felt very angry and very frustrated that this had happened.

Things had been going well between them, he thought. Bill was out of the picture and Sookie had seemed to be returning his affections. He had been planning on asking her to dinner. And then this happened. Damn if he didn't feel unlucky sometimes. Now she would think that he just saw her as someone who could help him out. Sam swallowed a frustrated growl, the tension in his body making his muscles ache all the worse.

Sookie tried to make sense of what she was hearing. The skin to skin contact, combined with the fact that Sam was a broadcaster meant that she was picking up his thoughts loud and clear. And while his interest in her didn't come as a surprise - she _had _been returning his affections - she couldn't believe that Sam would think she would think that about him. She bit her tongue, however, knowing that his private thoughts were his own. Despite having told her countless times that she could take a walk around his head any time, Sookie knew when was not a good time to speak up.

She got Sam into her bedroom and sat him on the edge of the bed. He still had the blanket clutched to him, covering some vital parts. Sookie got the impression that he would have happily shed it but was keeping it there for her. She wouldn't have minded. She'd seen him naked before.

"Do you want something to sleep in? I think I have some of Jason's clothes in the closet." She looked over his battered body once more.

Sam managed to raise his weary head to look her in the eye. He seemed slightly chagrined as he spoke.

"Would you mind if I didn't? I don't think I can move enough to get dressed and I'm not sure I could take the feel of anything against these ribs." He looked apologetic.

"Of course, Sam. You get in under those covers and I will be right back." Sookie turned to leave, more to give him privacy than anything else.

"Sook?" She stopped, the tone in his voice hitting something inside. Turning back she found Sam in the same position. "I need help." He looked completely embarrassed and frustrated with himself. Sookie didn't speak. She nodded and moved to him.

Pulling back the covers of her bed, she took the blanket from Sam. It was drenched now, but at least he had dried off. Throwing it on the chair she turned back to the now naked Sam.

"Can you swing your legs up?" She asked, her hand on his shoulder. Sam looked tense but nodded. Sookie could see that it was causing him a lot of pain. She helped him as he lay back and helped to bring his legs up onto the bed. Covering him as gently as she could she brushed his hair back off his face.

"You get some sleep Sam." She whispered, her voice gentle. Sam could see her caring eyes shining above him.

"Will you stay with me?" He all but pleaded. He didn't like being so needy, and he wasn't keen on Sookie seeing him like this but he was shaken and needed comfort. Sookie heard his need and nodded.

Climbing in next to Sam, she was hyper aware of his nudity and his wounds. She didn't want to hurt him further and was careful not to shake the bed too much. Lying on her side she faced him, watching his expressions as he stared at the ceiling.

"Sam?" she whispered in the dark. She could see Sam's eyes glinting.

"Cher?" His voice was husky in the darkness. Sookie marvelled at this change of events. Despite the fact that Sam had just been hit by a _car _she found him sexy. It must have been the combination of the storm, darkness, and being in bed with him while he was _naked. _Sookie tried to shake those thoughts from her mind, knowing that the last thing Sam needed was to get jumped. She wasn't even really sure where those thoughts were coming from.

"Were you hit near here?" She decided that finding out more about what had happened was the best. Maybe she could convince Sam to press charges. She caught herself at the absurdity of that. Even if he had gotten a licence plate how could a _dog _press charges?

"Not very. I was on my way back from the woods near Hotshot."

"But that's at least an hour from here. And you're place is closer. Why would you come all the way out here?" Sookie couldn't help her confused tone. Sam drew a deep breath; it caught as his ribs expanded and he let out a soft moan of pain. When he'd recovered he spoke.

"I needed help. And I knew you would help me. You're the only one I could trust." His words were soft, as though he were embarrassed. Sookie couldn't help but feel touched.

"You know you can always come to me if you need help, Sam." She whispered, her hand coming out and settling on his chest. Sam sighed.

"Same goes for you, Sook. But maybe just wait until I can walk again before you go getting into any more trouble, ok?" Sam joked. Sookie giggled. Her hand remained on Sam's chest and she felt him raise his hand to hold hers. She couldn't help the smile that graced her face.

"Sook?" Sam's voice broke the silence.

"Yes Sam?"

"I'm going to ask you to dinner in a day or two. Just once I'm back on my feet. I thought I'd give you a little warning." His tone was light, but Sookie could sense the nervousness there.

"Well, Sam. I'm going to say yes." She grinned and caught the white flash of Sam's teeth as he smiled at the ceiling.

They lay in silence for a long time. Sookie sensed when Sam had finally drifted off. His thoughts blurred and jumbled, becoming those of a dreamer. Sookie sighed. Her hand was still caught up in Sam's. She marvelled at the turn of events. A day before, she and Sam had been dancing around one another like two nervous teenagers. Now, he had finally asked her out again and all it had taken was him getting hit by a car.

Sookie had to wonder if that said a lot about her life that a guy had to get hit by a car before he worked up the nerve to ask her out.

**Hope you enjoyed the fluff-fest! Please review and let me know what you thought. If you are after some more Sookie/Sam goodness check out my stories The Shifter's Choice and Not the Other Man. I have a one-shot Sam centric entitled Whiskey in the Hands, also. Read and Review those and make me one happy writer!**


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